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From:  thomas mark montgomery <thomas8@t...>
thomas mark montgomery <thomas8@t...>
Date:  Sat Nov 25, 2000  8:08 pm
Subject:  Re: [vocalist-temporary] "voi lo sapete"- too dramatic?



I had intended to keep my mouth shut as this topic has been transversed in
this venue before, but Eva's thought out and well-written post has tempted
me to join the fray, especially since I have been somewhat dismayed by the
plethora of teenage dramatics posting to the list as of late.

Too much too soon and a need for immediate gratification conspire to ruin
the future of promising singers (Yes, Mark, I realize you can't save
everyone.) One has to look no further than the career of Susan Dunn to
realize the potential PERMANENT harm of singing beyond your means. There
is so much required in ANY singing than correct notes and rhythms with a
healthy tone quality and I cannot think of one singer I have known who was
past this level before the age of 25. I count Susan Patterson (Met, San
Francisco), Claudia Waite (Met, San Francisco), Caroline Whisnant (Des
Moines, Tulsa, Kansas City, Arizona Opera), Adrienne Dugger (Met,
Chicago), Carl Sologa (Houston) and Jon Villars (Chicago, Salzburg) as
friends and I know for a fact that none of them sang heavy repertoire as
undergraduates (and they also all sang in choirs, but that's another
thread.) NOT ONE! And they are some of the leading dramatic and
spinto singers on the professional level today. I know of no first-rate
teacher who assigns dramatic rep to beginners. And anyone who is an
undergraduate is a beginner in the field of operatic singing. Birgit
Nilsson always said "I sing with a slim voice", and to consistently sing
with a gathered, focussed tone takes more than a couple of years of voice
lessons, not to mention the many other aspects of singing which must be
mastered before even attempting any operatic repertoire.

***NOTE: If you are easily offended, delete this message now!***

Insistence on singing repertoire that fulfils immature vocal and emotional
needs is nothing more than the masturbation of an operatic poseur. If
you do not have the stamina to wait, how do you ever expect to have the
stamina to face the odds in attempting to pursue a professional career in
opera? Do you want to wait and find out in your 30s that the choices you
made were foolish at best?

Eva is flabbergasted that a quack is suggesting this ambitious route? I
ceased to be flabbergasted years ago...Now I'm just damn angry. I could
stand to live the rest of my life and never hear a 20-year-old sing "O don
fatale", "Nemico della patria", or "Dich, teure Halle" again (I have heard
all three at NATS during my lifetime sung by juniors and seniors.) And
the most sad part of the whole mess is that masquerading behind the push
and muscular thrust of these voices often lies talent. (Mark, this is the
last time I'm reminding you that you can't save everyone.)

Molly, I'm not picking on you, but having watched your posts for the last
couple of years, I think you need to sit down with yourself and have a
serious talk about musical skills, finding the right voice teacher (and
that is paramount--having a good voice and singing opera are analogous to
finding a great piece of marble and producing Michelangelo's David) and
doing it before you are caught in the academic trap of being too far
behind to catch up. Your vocal life is your responsibility and no one
will take the disappointment and frustration for you of making poor
choices. If I seem stern, then I am coming throught loud and
clear. However, do not think for a moment that I do not wish you the very
best. Otherwise, I would have simply deleted this message like I do most.

Best always,

Mark Montgomery


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